Overview

The Spotted Dove (Spilopelia chinensis) is a large, slender dove with mauve‑pink underparts, a grayish head, and its signature feature—a broad black collar with fine white spots on the back and sides of the neck. This “spotted” patch is the key field mark across its range. The bird has a long, rounded tail with white tips that show in flight.

Distribution & Habitat

The species is native to southern and eastern Asia, including India, Sri Lanka, China, Southeast Asia, and surrounding regions. It has also been introduced widely, with established populations in Hawaii, Southern California, Australia, New Zealand, and parts of Oceania. 

Spotted Doves thrive in towns, gardens, farmland, open woodlands, and suburban areas. They are especially common near human habitation, often seen walking on lawns, roadsides, and parks. They prefer well‑watered areas with trees, but adapt easily to urban environments. 

Diet/Foraging

Their diet is mostly seeds, which they pick from the ground while walking in a calm, deliberate manner. They often forage in pairs or small groups and will feed beneath bird feeders to collect fallen seed. In autumn, they especially love acorns.

Breeding & Nesting

Spotted Doves typically nest in trees or shrubs, building a simple platform nest. They usually lay two white eggs, and both parents participate in incubation and feeding the young with pigeon milk—a nutrient‑rich secretion produced in the crop.